Shinji Nakaba, a jewelry designer based in Tokyo has been crafting jewels and gems since 1974. The use of eccentric materials for the creation of his pieces is making it all worth to wear. For example, this fiddly worked pearl skulls.

Speaking to Magnifico, Nakaba shares, “Bringing new life to a valuable thing is what I intend to do,” adding to Etsy, “Along with valuable metals and stones, I used things that are used every day, including plastic bottle, aluminum beer cans or even garbage.”

Nakaba’s skulls are engraved with ‘vanitas’, the Latin word for ‘vanity’ ̶ a derivation of 16th to 17th century art.

“Futility of worldly life and temporary nature of all earthly beings and pursuits are accentuated on these types of works.”